Erdogan: Pro-regime groups in Afrin issue ‘closed’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 20 said the issue of pro-regime militia in Syria’s Afrin was “closed for now”, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Earlier on Feb. 20, pro-regime groups who tried to enter Syria’s Afrin withdrew before reaching the city following a series of warning shots.

Speaking at a joint news conference alongside his Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov in the Turkish capital Ankara, Erdogan said there was a movement towards Afrin by Shiite militias, which were interrupted after they were shelled.

“But then they were forced to go back after artillery shooting. This file is closed for now,” he said.

“Yesterday, we agreed on these issues in talks with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Iranian President Hassan] Rouhani. Unfortunately, you know, these kinds of terrorist organizations have [sometimes] taken the wrong steps with the decisions [they have made] on their own,” said Erdoğan.

On February 20, Erdogan spoke with Putin and Rouhani over Turkey’s ongoing operation, the fight against terrorist elements and the latest developments in Syria, particularly Afrin and Idlib.

“It is impossible to give them [any terrorist organization] a chance [in Afrin]. They would pay a heavy price for it,” he added.

The pro-regime groups withdrew about 10 kilometers away from Afrin, in northwestern Syria.